Category: Americana
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The Allure of Advertising
This past weekend, as I watched a few football games on television, I became fascinated with the taglines of the commercials. Normally, I ignore the incessant non-stop ads that relentlessly plug their respective product or service. But this weekend, I took another approach. I made note of the taglines of each commercial. You know the…
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Today’s Snake Oil Salesmen
I remember watching Western TV shows back in the ‘60s, and occasionally, there would be a character selling a cure-all for what ails ya. Grandstanding from the back of their wagon, these “snake oil” salesmen would pitch their too-good-to-be-true wares on an unsuspecting public. Their concoction, usually some alcohol-based remedy, was touted as a medicinal…
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I Confess, I Watched a K Drama
The following words were written in a moment of weakness when my desire to be open and transparent overrode any embarrassing concerns regarding my actions. Better yet, maybe I should deny any connection with the comments below. That’s it. I will plead the 5th or shout “blog hacker” as if such remarks will distance me…
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Southern Accent Fading Fast?
I am a son of the South. And I say that proudly. My accent may not be a drawl or as slow as sorghum syrup, but I still throw in a “y’all,” an “ain’t,” or an “I reckon” from time to time. Hopefully, my manners and inbred spirit of hospitality make my Southern upbringing evident…
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15 Signs That Toe is About to Meet Leather
It’s that time of year again. Yes, schools have started back and the prospect of cooler temperatures grows increasingly likely as Summer transitions to Fall. But that is not what I am talking about. Decades ago, when I was a student at Georgia Tech, our football play-by-play radio broadcaster was a guy named Al Ciraldo.…
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Living in the Land of Absurdia
I have been having hallucinations recently. I would call them nightmares, but they are occurring at all times of the day and night. And the frequency is increasing. I have the strange sense of being transported to a different time and place where I no longer live in the Land of the Free and the…
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The Cure for Sleeplessness
I have been having a lot of trouble sleeping lately. Seems to take forever to go to sleep, only to wake up in the middle of the night, wide awake. Insomnia reigns. Call it too much stress, too many thoughts on my mind, or perhaps post-surgical restless leg syndrome. Whatever you call it, it makes…
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Baseball, Boys, and Sportsmanship
The story you are about to read is true; the names have been changed to protect their privacy. It’s Springtime. And Friday night lights sparks memories of Little League Baseball and all the fun and charm of seeing adolescent boys enjoying America’s traditional pastime. Yet youth sports, especially Little League Baseball, is more than…
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The Flag Still Flies
The gale force winds were unexpected. Memorial Day weekend 2023 found my family and I vacationing off the Carolina coast. The beachfront home we rented was perfect, and we looked forward to several days of fun in the sun. But, on the day we arrived, the ocean winds were 25 mph with gusts up to…
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Follow Your Heart? Yellowstone vs. Hallmark Movies
Recently, I watched a few episodes of Yellowstone, the hit television show starring Kevin Costner, Luke Grimes, Kelly Reilly, and Cole Hauser. This award-winning, modern-Western drama is set amongst the stunning mountain vistas of Montana. The first thing I noticed — If I had a nickel for every f-word uttered, I could buy a ranch…
